>> hello. i am dana perino. welcome to "up close with 43" george w. bush. i am at the george w. bush presidential center. i had the pleasure to serve with the bush administration the last two as his press secretary. many think of him as straight forward unapologetic. those are true as his press secretary i got to know him in a more personal light. tonight i will show you. up first the importance of sticking to principles. >> mr. president? >> welcome back to the oval

office. >> it's a little erie. it feels like i should be preparing you for a press conference. >> exactly. >> i see you still have a clean desk. this is a good policy. >> yes, it is. >> it is erie in a sense. we made sure that the oval office looked exactly like it was during our presidency. including the flowers. >> we want people to come in here and get a sense of the majesty in the office. this is the only office in a museum where the visitor can sit behind a desk and play like you are making a phone call and have their picture taken. i think it's going to be a real attraction. >> the last day of your presidency i was there. i came in to say good-bye and you said something i thought you could repeat. it was about coming into the office on the first day wanting

to make sure when you left that you could look at yourself in the mirror and say i stuck to my principles. >> i think that's important in life. it's definitely important in a presidency to have a set of presen principles that one is willing to defend, and when lifted midland i am leaving with a set of principles. >> i am thankful for the lessons and principles learned here in midland, texas. i am thankful for my friends. i will come back to see you soon. god bless. >> when i came back in front of the same 30 although we looked older i said i didn't stel my soul. the principles are still a part of my life. >> i stayed true to those convictions. i am coming home with my head held high and a sense of accomplishment. >> that's important when you are running an organization so that the people who work with you know what you believe in and

know those beliefs won't change. >> it made it easier to be your press secretary. there were times i got a question i didn't get to see you yet. i rarely went out on a limb. there was one time in particular i said, no president bush would stand with prime minister malki. remember when malki sent troops into basra. initial reports from the united states, 4 in the morning u.s., was that the state department and defense department were not happy with malki. i went out on a limb and said at 6 in the morning president bush stands behind president malki. two hours later josh bolton said i want to make sure everybody is clear that president bush stands behind prime minister malki. i said oh i said that. i thought about it when i have a chance with students or speeches it was easier to be a press

secretary for someone you knew the prinlss. >> i knew the incident well. i was encouraged the fact that he was showing leadership and willing to be decisive. >> during the time when i was very upset with an attack against you. i was trying to deal with it you called me into the oval office. it was very early in the day, but when i came in you said, i hear you are upset about something. i said, yes, sir, i am. you said i would like you to try to for give. i think about that leadership quality of forgiveness and how important that is for all of us to remember in politics. >> yeah, i remember that well. it was one of the most disturbing things that can happen on a team is when a team member is disloyal. i remember it well. as a matter of fact, you said how can you possibly trust me, mr. president, when a key member of the team had been disloyal to you. i said, because you are who you

are. >> i also asked you if i could throw that person under the bus, you said no. >> forgiveness is hard, but for giving you actually liberate yourself from the anger and negative thoughts. >> up next, bush 43 on his father, bush 41. and a number one. george washington. >> each of these leaders will tell you, no matter how much you may think you are ready to assume the office of the president, it's impossible to truly understand the nature of the job until it's yours, until you are sitting at that desk. that's why every president gains a greater appreciation for all of those who served before them. the leaders from both parties who have taken on the moment to us challenges and felt the enormous weight of the nation on their shoulders. for me that appreciation very much extends to president bush.

the first thing i found in that desk the day i took office was a letter from george, and one that demonstrated his compassion and his generosity. for he knew that i would come to learn what he had learned, that being president above all is a humbling job. there are moments where you make mistakes. there are times where you wish you could turn back the clock, and what i know is true about president bush, i hope my successor will say about me, is that we love this country and with do our best. now, in the past president bush has said it's impossible to pass judgment on his presidency while he is still alive, so maybe this is premature. there are certain things we know for certain, we know about the son who was raised by two strong loving parents in midland,

famously inheriting as he says my daddy's eyes and my mother's mouth. the young boy who once came home after a trip to museum and proudly presented his horrified mother with a tailbone he smuggled home in his pocket. i bet that went over great with barbara. we know about the young man who met the love of his life ditching his plans to go to bed early and instead talking with the brilliant and charming laura wells late into the night. we know about the father who raised two remarkable, caring, beautiful daughters, even after they tried to discourage him from running for president saying, dad, you are not as cool as you think you are. mr. president, i can relate. and now we see president bush the grandfather just beginning

to spoil his brandt new granddaughter. so we know president bush the man, and what president clinton said is absolutely true, to know the man is to like the man because he's comfortable in his own skin. he knows who he is. he doesn't put on my pretenses. he takes his job seriously but doesn't take himself too seriously. he is a good man. written by people just like you. you want to be sure the money you're about to spend is money well spent. angie's list -- reviews you can trust.

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>> welcome back. president george w. bush has always been a student of history. now in his own words bush 43 on two american legends. >> there are replicas here. it is just like the oval office. portrait of george washington in the last few days or few months

of the presidency and now as your library opens a lot of people will be asking you again what will your legacy be. you have a story about that. >> i remember calling you and other members of the senior staff and telling you i just finished a biography in washington. i said if they are still analyzing washington are those of us in the bush 43 administration don't need to worry about short term history. it was the nature of the time in order to make any make sense and/or transform it. i learned a lot about reading history during the presidency. there was another portrait of lincoln. >> there was a portrait of goerlg washing tonl. one of my favorites is charge

the key. as a staff member when you walk in from over there you can see that it would reground you. >> yes. >> one of my other favorite things in policy time you were here and vice president was there you would have a line of site and the vice president would rest his eyes a little bit. >> this is where a president puts them. each president picks a president. i choose lincoln. in my case influential president, it had a lot of meaning it was a conflict of interest. my dad was the most influential

president i wouldn't be here without his unconditional love. i put lincoln on the wall. i read a lot about lincoln during the presidency and came to admire him tremendously. he had a great vision for the presidency. >> you know who your dad had in there? >> president obama. -- lincoln. >> it is an over used word legacy. everybody asks about my legacy. my answer is, it is going to take time.

i know we dealt with tough problems. every president deals with tough problems. we had a great team. my white house was a joyful place. >> every day was stressful but joyful. that's right. >> coming up putting differences aside for the good of the nation. >> you know, starting with my work with president george h.w. bush with katrina people began to joke that i was getting so close to the bush family i had become the black sheep son. my mother told me not to talk too long today. barbara, i will not let you down.

there is one other connection i have that i think is largely unknown which is that a couple of times a year and in the second term, george bush would call me just to talk politics and a chill went up and down my spine when laura said that all their records from digitized. dear god i hope there's no record of those conversations in this vast and beautiful building. i probably shouldn't say this but i am going to anyway. your mother showed me some of your landscapes and animal paintings. i thought they were great. really great. i seriously considered calling you and asking you to do a portrait of me until i saw the results of your sister's e-mail. those bathroom sketches are

wonderful but at my age i should see mine too.

>> welcome back. some of the fopdest memories of my tenure is meeting the president at the famous office 1600 pennsylvania avenue many of which included some familiar faces. in texas we had the opportunity to turn back time and meet once again in the oval office. >> you remember when the five presidents were here at the front of this desk? >> i do. very well. >> i want to thank the president elect for joining the ex

presidents for lunch. one message that i have and i think we all shared we want you to succeed whether we are democrat or republican we care deeply about this country. >> i thought what a picture for the world that america can set disagreements aside. >> we are about to have the same picture. the president will be here as will former presidents including president 41, which it's going to be a joyous day and a day to give thanks, but particularly joyful about the fact that my dad will be there. i didn't think he was going to be there. >> a lot of us didn't. he's stronger than all of us put together. >> we underestimated or as i say miss underestimated. >> when we return, president bush in his fooins hour. >> i can hear you, the remembers

of the world hears you and the people... (cheers and applause) >>... and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon. >> but first former first lady laura bush. >> through out this center i am reminded of my husband. i remember george standing under the rubble of the world trade center his arms around the shoulders of a retired firefighter who had grabbed his old gear to go search for the missing. i remember george standing line on the pimp -- pitcher's mound preparing to throw the first pitch of the 2001 world series during that long season of heartbreak and healing. i remember a quiet visit with the family of the fallen. sharing their stories and their cheers.

and i remember how steadfast and steady he was for 8 years. since we have been home i have added new memories. i see george lifting a brush to paint and refurbish a health clinic in zach bee aw zimbabwe. i see him on a bike ride with wounded veterans when he hopped off his own bike and helped push a an army major who was peddling with only one leg up the steep hills. my george is a man who when someone needs a hand offers him their arm. this is a spirit i hope is forever captured in this beautiful building that this will always be a place that welcomes each visitor with open arms. arigato! we are outta here!

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>> live from america's news headquarters i am harris falkner. president obama set to name a new secretary of transportation. the white house telling fox news they could nominate anthony fox the white house officials saying comblier fox is seeing rapid growth in the stays infrastructure. he would take over for current secretary ray lahood. members of congress expressing concerns weapons could be a larger threat to the united states. they declare the syrian government likely used sir ran gas last month. hours ago john mccain saying the red line president obama drew has been crossed. the white house concerned about where chem weapons could end up. president obama has not committed to military intervention. now back to up close with george w. bush.

>> welcome back to fox news. we have a very tragic alert for you right now. an incredible plane crash into the world prayed center at the lower tip of manhattan. >> the most notable event was the terror attacks of 9-11. from the attacks themselves to the criticism that followed afterwards. tonight president bush brings us back to the events of that horrific day through his own eyes. >> today we have had a national crisis. two airplanes have crashed into the world trade center. in an apair trerpt rist attack in our country. >> we are hearing right now of another explosion that has taken place at the bent upon.

>> united 93 do you still hear cleveland. >> he wfreedom was attacked by faceless coward. ♪ god bless america >> terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings but they cannot touch the foundation of america. these acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of american resolve. >> so most of the people in this room at this table -- you were in first grade when 9-11 happened. >> 2nd grade. >> you grew up with 9-11. i thought mr. president you could talk to them about what it was it was like to try to calm a nation and to figure out a way to protect the country's

national security without intruding on the freedoms we all enjoy. as you pointed out for a long time comply sans sees always a fear but you want to live the lives you live in america. how did you balance that? >> the first decision was made in a classroom. i was in a classroom maybe a little bigger than this. instead of having three tv cameras i had 20. you will see. it was a huge press contingent coming for the opening of the library. our president will be there. when he travels there's a lot of cameras. the first decision i made after he whispered in my ear america is under attack was to project calm. because if a leader of an organization in any way shows panic followers will panic. in my case the nation was

watching. they weren't watching live but at some point in time they are going to want to know how the president reacted. my instincts kicked in. the second thing people wanted to know was they wanted to see resolve. in other words, i resolved at that moment to do everything within my power and within the law to protect the country. turns out the most important job of the president is to protect the home land. little did we think we being the country at large people would use their own airplanes to mur de der 3,000 people. there were a lot of other issues we had to deal with. one of which was religious bigot bigotry. a deep concern of mine is that people would blame people of muslim faith. i went to a mosque shortly after 9-11 to send a signal we cannot

lose our values in the midst of human tragedy. a lot of job of the president is to be the comforter in chief which i did. i spent a lot of time in hospital rooms on september 14th. probably the most painful moment of the day was to be in a room full of sons and daughters, husbands and wives hoping that their loved one would come out of the rubble. i had just come from the rubble and pretty certain nobody would come out. yet my job then was to comfort them as best i could. so the job of a president in a moment like that had a lot of different facets to it. i had to communicate clearly. had to put together a plan back up your word. if you say something to the president you better mean it and you better develop an action plan so your words aren't

meaningless. it would bring them to justice and did. i remember i used to put out there in the old west, a wanted poster. said wanted dead or alive. all i want and america wants is to be brought to justice. >> 9-11 was an event. the exhibit in the museum is unbelievably powerful. it should be powerful. it is a reminder of the truth, one of which is that evil exists. i think there's evil. we witnessed it first hand. secondly the human condition elsewhere matters to the national security of the united states. in other words, if there's hopelessness around the world we ought to be concerned about that. because we faced an enemy that could only recruit hopeless people.

you have to be pretty hopeless to be a suicide bomber. the exhibit is powerful because i want people to understand the lessons involved in 9-11. >> when we come back president bush on his role as the ultimate decision maker. plus the people who played a session role in his life. >> what a beautiful day in dallas. great pleasure to be here and who ton another our son our oldest son. very special for barbara and me. thank you all for coming and to all those who made this museum possible we thank you especially and we are glad to be here. god bless america and thank you very much. (applause) this is betsy.

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visa signature. at od, whatever business you're in, that's the business we're in. with premium service like one of the best on-time delivery records and a low ratio, we do whatever it takes to make your business our business. od. helping the world keep promises. if you have high cholesterol, here's some information that may be worth looking into. in a clinical trial versus lipitor, crestor got more high-risk patients' bad cholesterol to a goal of under 100. getting to goal is important, especially if you have high cholesterol plus any of these risk factors because you could be at increased risk for plaque buildup in your arteries over time. and that's why when diet and exercise alone aren't enough to lower cholesterol i prescribe crestor. [ female announr ] crestor is not right for everyone.

like people with liegnanpr women who a, or may become pregnant. tell your doctor about other medicines you're taking. call your doctor right away if you have muscle pain or weakness, feel unusually tired, have loss of appetite, upper belly pain, dark urine or yellowing of skin or eyes. these could be signs of rare but serious side effects. is your cholesterol at goal? ask your doctor about crestor. [ female announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. >> being commander-in-chief is all about making decisions. president george w. bush spoke to me about some of the most important choices both professional and personal. >> i have a book "decision points" and since you guys just read it, i thought i would have president bush tell a story about, do you remember in the

rose garden when you said, i am the decider? >> i read the front page, i know the speculation. i am decider. i decide what's best. >> not long after that you were thinking about the book. you said the presidency is a decision making experience. >> i wrote the book as a data point for future historians. d wrote the book as a way for people to relive many of the decisions that made us president. i don't believe you can possibly accurately judge the record of the administration until there been enough time so the historians can analyze whether or not the decisions you made are impactful or not. i decided to write it based upon certain decisions. i picked the decisions tha i thought would help explain my administration. obviously some of them around big events.

some of them like embryonic stem cell i don't expect to see in a book. >> in the firstaboutr decion to drinking. also that gave you some time to talk about the importance of being willing to take a risk and how you were raised with the unconditional love of your father and mother and you were allowed to be able to do that. >> when you give a speech sometimes the tool surprises the listener. if you remember how many days have you not had a drink. the first decision is why run for president in the first place. in order to make that decision work, in order to make the decision meaningful to the reader i had to describe myself. i was more interested in talking about the decisions i made and the process, but i needed an

autobiographical part to make the first decision why running for president makes sense. the drinking started a story about a higher power and a beautiful wife. i also talk about taking a risk because that's really what life is all about to one degree or another. running for president is risky. i mean you can run and lose and they say what a pathetic president. you could run and win and they say what a pathetic president. it doesn't matter if you have the unconditional love of somebody you admire. huge influence on my life. >> the first part of the chapter is i am who i am because of my family. i got to the biographical part pretty quickly. got me to the different decisions i had to make. >> coming up his goal of freedom

of disease around the world. he tells me about his unlikely friendship with music lege bono. >> in 2000 as you may remember there was a disputed election for several weeks. finally when president bush became president they had the inauguration in washington on schedule and i think my wife and i were the only volunteer democrats on the platform. george and laura afterwards came up and asked us f-- thanked us coming. he said if there's anything i can ever do for you let me know which was a mistake he made. i made mr. president they have broken into 35 countries in the world and the worst problem is a war going on between north and south sudan. millions of people have been killed. i would like you to help by having a peace agreement there. in a weak moment he said i will

do it. in january of 2005 t a pe treaty between north and south sudan that ended a war that had been going on for 21 years. george w. bush is was responsible for that. ♪

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>> we are back at the george w. bush presidential library and museum. when thinking about the 43rd president the name bono probably doesn't come to mind. when it comes to ending poverty and disease around the globe they stuck up a fast friendship. >> okay, so this is freedom wall. >> it is.

>> tell me about this gree dom collection. it is the first archive of the dissident writing and it is at the institute. >> one of the major causes of the institute is to advance freedom for the sake of peace. and one way to do so is to tell the stories of those who have lived in darkness. >> this was in tanzania. you remember the girl singing the song to you? >> yes, i do. >> united an amazing look of love, care and gratitude for them. >> yeah, i do. our trips to africa were eye opening and i was able to have it from a proper perspective. it hurts your heart because you want to help. the human condition matters to

the national security of the united states. i believe it's important to serve others. >> you have a letter in here to a big rock star. >> i do. bono became a pal. he was skeptical of me and frankly i was skeptical of him. we became pals because we had a desire to help others. bono is the real deal. >> you had a particular belief in freedom of the press. >> absolutely. >> we didn't get the best press coverage. >> gosh i don't know why you say that. >> you remember the press conference in iraq? >> i am the only one who got hurt in the whole thing. but you were determined during that you were not going to end it without taking the questions from the reporters that were there. why was that so important to you? >> because i think in order for democracy to funk there has to

be a vibrant press. in iraq, i wanted to do two things. one, i didn't want to leave to give him a slight victory or he would have said president bush had to leave therefore i achievedyive. i also wanted to say i want to answer your questions. you don't have to read it. you can rely on your press secretary. >> you read it now? >> not really. >> most of the opinions are pretty predictable to begin with. >> through this institute as a new grandfather what is the world that you hope to help continue to build for her? >> i hope that little mila who i got to hug last week obviously grows up in a world that is peaceful. it talks about blessings, it talks about how to make decisions, but it also is hopefully an inspiration for

somebody to ut make thei community a better place, and hope little mila grows up like that. i think she will. the country is still going to be a generous country. >> this is my next question. who is your biggest fan? >> mila. >> no. >> my sweet press secretary. >> up next. a final note from the george w. bush presidential center. ♪

>> the george w. bush

presidential center will continue his and mrs. bush's legacy for future generations. it was an honor and privilege to work for the man known as bush 43. as he and his family continue to grow we all look forward to seeing what the future holds. thank you for joining me. good night. >> today marks a major milestone in a journey that began 20-years ago when i announced my campaign for governor of texas. some of you were there that day. a lot of you were there that day. i picture looking a little younger. you probably picture me with a little less gray hair. in politics you learn who your real friends are. our friends have stood with us every step of the way. and today is the day to give you a proper thanks. and democracy, the purpose of public office is not to fulfill

personal ambition, but elected officials must serve a cause greater than themselves. the political winds blow left and right, tolls rise a-- polls rise and fall, supporters come and go. but the leaders are defined the convictions they hold. my deepest conviction the guiding principle of the administration is that the united states of america must strooi to expand the reach of freedom. (applause) i believe freedom is a gift of god and a hope of every human heart. freedom inspired our founders and preserved our union through civil war and supports the promise of civil rights. freedom sustained disdense bound by chains, believers huddled in under ground churches and voters

who risked their lives to cast their ballots. freedom unleashes creativity, rewards innovation and replaces poverty with prosperity. ultimately freedom lights the path to peace. freedom brings responsibility. independence from the state does not mean isolation from each other. a free society thrives when neighbors help neighbors and the strong protect the weak and public policy promote private ompassion. as president i tried to act on these principles every day. wasn't always easy. certainly wasn't very popular. one of the benefits of freedom is people can disagree. i created plenty of opportunities to exercise that right. when future generations come to this library and study this administration they are going to find out that we stay true to our convictions.

(applause) we expanded freedom at home by raising standards in schools and lowering taxes for everybody. that we liberated nations from dictatorship and freed people from aids. now when our freedom came under attack we made the tough decisions required to keep the american people safe. the same prints pells find the mission from the president center. i am retired from politics, happily so i might add but not from public service. we use influence to help more children start life with a quality education to help more americans find jobs and economic opportunity. to help more countries over come poverty and disease. to help more people in every part of the world live in

freedom. we will work to empower women around the world to transfo their countries, stand behind the courageous men and women who stepped forward to wear the uniform of the united states to defend our flag and our freedoms here at home. ultimately the success of a nation depends on the character d ter of its citizens. mr. president i have the privilege to see that character up close. i saw it in the first responders who charged up the stairs into the flames to save people's lives from burning towers. i saw it in the virginia tech professor who barricaded his classroom door with his body until his students escaped to safety. i saw the people of new orleans who made homemade boats to rescue neighbors. saw it in the service members who laid down their lives to keep our country safe and to make other nations free.

franklin roosevelt once described the dedication of the library an act of faith. i dedicate this library with unshakeable faith in the future of our country. the honorable lifetime to lead a country has prayed and is as noble as the united states. whatever challenges come before us, i will always believe our nation's best days lie ahead. god bless. (applause)

>> who cares. struck by a duck. >> obama care. >> this is a simple, strong, good thing. >> there is remarket. >> they have my cell phone, my e-mail address. >> they need to be pushed to a new way of looking at things. >> what will be the new way government or free market? what happens when they conflict? >> are you still there? >> i hope so. i need to run to treat my dog. will that be legal? >>